Have a fabulous holiday. GRACE NOTES will return Wed. July 5
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Holiday Highlights:
Friday, June 30
Back to the Future: The Musical, by Bob Gale, Alan Silvestri & Glen Ballard, directed by John Rando, featuring Roger Bart (Doc Brown), Casey Likes (Marty McFly), Hugh Coles (George McFly) Liana Hunt (Lorraine Baines), Jelani Remy (Goldie Wilson/Marvin Berry), Nathaniel Hackmann (Biff Tannen), Merritt David Janes (Strickland), and Mikaela Secada (Jennifer Parker), with Amber Ardolino, Will Branner, Victoria Byrd, Brendon Chan, Kevin Curtis, Nick Drake, Samuel Gerber, Marc Heitzman, Kimberly Immanuel, Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson, Hannah Kevitt, JJ Niemann, Becca Petersen, Emma Pittman, Jonalyn Saxer, Blakely Slaybaugh, Gabi Stapula, and Daryl Tofa, begins previews at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre.
Beauty and the Beast, directed by John Targatlia, featuring Ashley Blanchet (Belle), Ben Crawford (Beast), Claybourne Elder (Gaston), Ann Harada (Mrs. Potts), Kelvin Moon Loh (Lumiere), Eric Jordan Young (Cogsworth), Holly Ann Butler (Babette), Tommy Bracco (Lefou), Harrison White (Maurice), Debby Lennon (Madame de la Grande Bouche) and Michael Hobin (Chip) with Lori Barrett-Pagano, Devin Cortez, Matthew Davies, Duane Martin Foster, Nigel Jamal Hall, Bryan Thomas Hunt, Ryan Lambert, Samantha Littleford, Daniel Brooks McRath, Georgia Monroe, Rich Pisarkiewicz, Paris Porché Richardson, Heather Jane Rolff, Grace Marie Rusnica, Michael Santomassimo, Mark Saunders, Leann Schuering, Gordon Semeatu, Kelly Sheehan, Wesley Slade, Molly Stilliens, Meridien Terrell, Cameron Monroe Thomas and Kristen Welsh, closes at the St. Louis Muny.
Saturday, July 1
Dial M for Murder, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by Walter Bobbie, featuring Mamie Gummer, Rosa Gilmore, Erich Bergen, Max Gordon Moore, and Reg Rogers, opens at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre.
The Saviour, world premiere by Deirdre Kinahan, directed by Louise Lowe, featuring Marie Mullen and Jamie O’Neill, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Irish Rep.
Flayed performance, world premiere written & performed by Josiah Blount, at 4 PM at Hollywood’s Broadwater Black Box (also July 5)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: A New Musical, by Jethro Compton & Darren Clarke, directed by Compton, featuring Jamie Parker (Benjamin Button) and Molly Osborne (Elowen Button), with Matthew Burns, Jonathan Charles, Oonagh Cox, Anna Fordham, Philippa Hogg, Damien James, Ann Marcuson, Jack Quarton, Benedict Salter, and Tonny Shim, closes at London’s Southwark Playhouse.
The Shape of Things, by Neil LaBute, directed by Nicky Allpress, featuring Luke Newton and Amber Anderson, closes at London’s Park Theatre.
American Ballet Theatre‘s Like Water for Chocolate, choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, featuring Joo Won Ahn, Aran Bell, Isabella Boylston, Skylar Brandt, Daniel Camargo, Herman Cornejo, Thomas Forster, Catherine Hurlin, Gillian Murphy, Calvin Royal III, Hee Seo, Christine Shevchenko, Cory Stearns, Devon Teuscher, Cassandra Trenary, James Whiteside, and Roman Zhurbin, closes at NYC’s Metropolitan Opera House.
Sunday, July 2
A Tribute to Howard Ashman and Alan Menken concert, featuring Melissa Errico, Alex Lugo, John Yi, Jana Djenne Jackson, Cameron Loyal, Nic Mains, Audrey Belle Adams, Juwan Crawley, Chiubeze Ihuoma , Katherine D’Souza, Tymothee Harrell, Ali Regan, Gryphyn Karimloo, Tristan David Caldwell, Nadia Duncan, Rachel Lloyd, and Leslie-Payton Alston, at 7 PM at NYC’s 54 Below, opens at 7 PM at NYC’s 54 Below.
54 Sings Beyonce concert, featuring Miki Abraham, Morgan Bryant, DeMarius R. Copes, Jordan Dobson, Hillary Fisher, J. Harrison Ghee, Stephanie Gomérez, Olivia Elease Hardy, Ciara Alyse Harris, Savy Jackson, Tatiana Lofton, Tiffany Mann, Johanna Moise, Sarita Amani Nash, Jennafer Newberry, Tavon Olds-Sample, Vanessa Sears, Justin David Sullivan, and Rachel Webb, at 9:30 PM at NYC’s 54 Below.
Leopoldstadt, by Tom Stoppard, directed by Patrick Marber, featuring Caissie Levy, Brandon Uranowitz, Jenna Augen, Faye Castelow, Arty Froushan, Aaron Neil, Jesse Aaronson, Betsy Aidem, Japhet Balaban, Corey Bill, Daniel Cantor, Erica Dasher, Eden Epstein, Gina Ferrall, Charlotte Graham, Jacqueline Jarrold, Sarah Killough, David Krumholtz, Colleen Litchfield, Tedra Millan, Seth Numrich, Anthony Rosenthal, Sara Topham, Dylan Wallach, Romy Fay, Chris Stevens, Reese Bogin, Max Ryan Burach, Michael Deaner, Pearl Scarlett Gold, Jaxon Cain Grunkleger, Wesley Holloway, Ava Michele Hyl, Joshua, Satine, Aaron Shuf, and Drew Ryan Squire, closes at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre.
Prima Facie, by Suzie Miller, directed by Justin Martin, starring Jodie Comer (Tessa), closes at Broadway’s Golden Theatre.
The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, by Lorraine Hansberry, directed by Anne Kauffman, featuring Oscar Isaac (Sidney Brustein), Rachel Brosnahan (Iris Brustein), Gus Birney (Gloria Parodus), Julian De Niro (Alton Scales), Glenn Fitzgerald (David Ragin), Andy Grotelueschen (Wally O’Hara), Miriam Silverman (Mavis Parodus Bryson), and Raphael Nash Thompson (Max), with Joey Auzenne, Katya Campbell, Gregory Connors, and Brontë England Nelson, closes at Broadway’s James Earl Jones Theatre.
Spy For Spy, world premiere by Kieron Barry, directed by Jane Atkinson, featuring Olive Gray and Amy Lenox, closes at London’s Riverside Studios.
Roundabout Theatre Company‘s Primary Trust, world premiere by Eboni Booth, directed by Knud Adams, featuring Jackson Harper, April Matthis, Eric Berryman, and Jay O. Sanders, closes at Off-Broadway’s Laura Pels Theatre.
Wet Brain, world premiere by John J. Caswell, Jr., directed by Dustin Wills, featuring Frankie J. Alverez (Ron), Ceci Fernández (Angelina), Florencia Lozano (Mona), Julio Monge (Joe), and Arturo Luis Soria (Ricky), closes at Off-Broadway’s Playwrights Horizons.
2023 Short New Pay Festival, available in person & on-demand, closes at Off-Broadway’s Red bull Theater.
Into the Woods, directed by directed by Scott Weinstein, featuring Carolee Carmello (The Witch), Patti Murin (Baker’s Wife), Manu Narayan (The Baker), Joe Serafini (Jack), Kyla Jordan Stone (Cinderella), Jordan Tyson (Little Red Riding Hood), Gene Weygandt (Narrator/Mysterious Man), Theo Allyn (Jack’s Mother), Conor Bahr (Steward), Allison Cahill (Cinderella’s Mother/Granny), Melessie Clark (Lucinda), Haley Holmes (Florinda), Christine Laitta (Cinderella’s Stepmother), Jhardon DiShon Milton (Rapunzel’s Prince), Brady Patsy (Cinderella’s Father), and Lu Zielenski (Milky White), closes at Pittsburgh CLO.
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, directed by Victoria Pearlman, featuring Brad Greenquist (Vanya), Tania Getty (Sonia), Martha Hackett (Masha), Zach Kanner (Spike), Miranda Wynne (Nina), and Cyndy Fujikawa (Cassandra), closes at Venice’s Pacific Resident Theatre.
Monday, July 3
Crazy for You, directed & choreographed by Susan Stroman, featuring Charlie Stemp (Bobby), Carly Anderson (Polly), Tom Edden (Bela Zangler), Natalie Kassanga (Irene Roth), Mathew Craig (Lank Hawkins), Duncan Smith (Everett Baker), Marilyn Cutts (Lottie Child), Sam Harrison (Eugene Fodor), Rina Fatania (Patricia Fodor), and Jack Wilcox (Standby Bobby Child), with. Kayleigh Thadani, Kate Parr, Lila Anderson, Harriet Samuel-Gray, Imogen Bowtell, Laura Hills, Ella Valentine, Tara Yasmin, Marc Akinfolarin, Lucas Koch, Philip Bertioli, Jason Battersby, Ashley-Jordon Packer, Nicholas Duncan, Nathan Elwick, Liam Wrate, Joshua Nkemdilim, Nell Martin, Bradley Trevethan, Bethan Downing, Ryan Jupp, Jinny Gould, and George Bray, opens at London’s Gillian Lynne Theatre.
In Dreams, world premiere by David West Read, directed by Luke Sheppard, featuring Lena Hall (Kenna), Olivier Tompsett (Ramsey), Nöel Sullivan (Donovan), Leon Craig (Tom), Alma Cuervo (Ana Sofia), Gabriela García (Nicole), Manuel Pacific (Oscar), Sian Reese-Williams (Jane), and Richard Trinder (George), and Mark Peachey (Officer Lee), with Fabiola Ocasio, Hannah Ducharme as Bianca, and Pablo Gómez Jones, opens at the UK’s Leed’s Playhouse.
A Tribute to Howard Ashman and Alan Menken concert, featuring Melissa Errico, Alex Lugo, John Yi, Jana Djenne Jackson, Cameron Loyal, Nic Mains, Audrey Belle Adams, Juwan Crawley, Chiubeze Ihuoma , Katherine D’Souza, Tymothee Harrell, Ali Regan, Gryphyn, at NYC’s 54 Below, closes at NYC’s 54 Below.
Tuesday, July 4
“A Capital Fourth” concert, conducted by Jack Everly, featuring Ruthie Ann Miles, Adrienne Warren… the Broadway company of A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical, featuring Will Swenson and Robyn Hurder… Renée Fleming… the rock-and-roll band Chicago… Boyz II Men… Belinda Carlisle… Babyface… Maddie & Tae… Charles Esten… and Elmo & Cookie Monster, airs at 8 PM ET on PBS (check local listings).
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The Fire Island Dance Festival, in support of Dancers Responding to AIDS, will run July 14-16 at NY’s Fire Island Pines, hosted by Alan Cumming.
Dancers TBA.
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Camelot adapted by Aaron Sorkin, and directed by Bartlett Sher, will close July 23 at Broadway’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, after 153 performances.
Andrew Burnap (Arthur), Phillipa Soo (Guenevere), Jordan Donica (Lancelot Du Lac), Dakin Matthews (Merlyn/Pellinore), Taylor Trensch (Mordred), Marilee Talkington (Morgan Le Fey), Anthony Michael Lopez (Sir Dinadan), Fergie Philippe (Sir Sagramore), Danny Wolohan (Sir Lionel) Andrew Burnap (Arthur), Phillipa Soo (as Guenevere), and Jordan Donica (Lancelot Du Lac), with Delphi Borich, Matías De La Flor, Sola Fadiran, Rachel Fairbanks, Nkrumah Gatling, Christian Mark Gibbs, Holly Gould, Monte Greene, Edwin Joseph, Tesia Kwarteng, James Romney, Ann Sanders, Britney Nicole Simpson, Philip Stoddard, Valerie Torres-Rosario, Frank Viveros, and Paul Whitty.
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Staged readings of John Patrick Shanley’s The Lost Years will take place July 28 & 29 at 8 PM at Englewood, NJ’s Black Box Theatre, directed by Matt Okin. The readings will be followed by a Q&A with the playwright.
Matty Ferrara, Deb Maclean, and Ryan Natalino.
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The American Songbook Association will present Betty Buckley with a Lifetime Achievement Award, and Seth Rudetsky a Dream Maker Award at its 4th Annual Gala on Oct. 2 at 7:30 PM at NYC’s Merkin Concert Hall (link TBA).
F. Murry Abraham, Bryan Batt, Jason Robert Brown, Carolee Carmello, Veanne Cox, Paul Hecht, Bonnie Milligan, Ken Page, Kurt Peterson, Seth Rudetsky, and Stephen Schwartz.
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Gingold Theatrical Group will present a script-in-hand performance of Pygmalion on Mon. July 24 at 7 PM at NYC’s Symphony Space, directed by David Staller.
Kate Hamill (Eliza Dootlittle), David Lee Huynh (Freddy Enysford-Hill), Laura Patinkin (Mrs. Eynsford-Hill), Mary Beth Peil (Mrs. Higgins), Robert Petkoff (Henry Higgins), Ryann Redmond (Clara Eynsford-Hill), Justin Robertson (Narrator and others), Thomas Jay Rayan (Alfred Doolittle), Thom Sesma (Colonel Hugh Pickering), and Jennifer Van Dyck (Mrs. Pearce).
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An Evening with Jimmy Webb will take place Sun. July 9 at 7:30 PM at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club.
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Martyna Majok’s Sanctuary City will run Sept. 14 – Nov. 18 (opening Sept. 23) Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, directed by Steph Paul.
Kennedy Lewis, Brandon Rivera and Jocelyn Zamudio.
Newark, NJ. Post-9/11. Two teenagers, brought to America as children, now face an unlikely foe: unexpected, unreciprocated love. Their friendship is no longer enough (for one of them) and their adopted country doesn’t love them back.
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Mint Theater Company will present Elizabeth Baker’s Partnership Sept. 30 – No. 12, directed by Jackson Grace Gay.
Casting TBA
The story of Kate Rolling, an independent professional woman happily running a successful business with no interest in marriage. That is, until she receives an offer from her chief competitor proposing a merger… and matrimony. Like Chains, Partnership is a story of yearning for more. But Kate Rolling and her business associates are eager to work more, to earn more, to own more. They want to conquer the world, not to see it. They are not romantics seeking adventure, they are capitalists seeking expansion. Partnership offers a refreshing take on the importance of work-life balance
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Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of The 39 Steps continues through Aug. 13 at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, directed by Johanna McKenzie Miller.
Gavin Lee, Zuhdi Boueri, Tom Ditrinis, Caitlin Gallogly, Madeline Baird, Jordon Dell Harris, Ryan Michael Hamman, and Sawyer Smith.
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Williamstown Theatre Festival has announced its 2023 Summer Season’s Friday’@3 Reading Series:
Nick and the Prizefighter (July 14), by Kamilah Bush, directed by Krstolyn Lloyd, featuring Dane Dehaan, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Amber Iman, and dL Sams. Selah Thompson is the caregiver for her famous playwright father, Forest Thompson. Nick Beerman, a young writer and dramaturg, is tasked with helping Forest complete his life’s work before the clock runs out. Selah must fight for control of her father’s work and legacy—and find her own rhythm as she prepares to face the world without him.
Plunder and Lightning (July 21), by Cindy Lou Johnson, directed by Portia Krieger, featuring Samantha Bohrer, Johanna Day, Annie Golden, Nina Grollman, and John Pankow. Tina and George’s preparations for an important party are wildly derailed when their daughter Rikki shows up on the run from the cops, and Tina’s stepmother, Lola, threatens to levy charges of elder abuse. A dark comedy about greed and the urgent power of love.
Chapters of a Floating Life (July 28), by Clarence Coo, directed by Jennifer Chang, featuring Grant Chang, James Chen, Leah Getz, Teresa Avia Lim, and Diana Oh. Two couples from China try to make ends meet in New York City in the wake of the Second World War. One husband and wife live uptown, obsessed with a past of poetry, painting, and gardens. Another pair face the day-to-day reality of keeping a Chinatown restaurant in business. Their worlds, previously separated by class and education, converge when the two women find each other in Central Park and fall under the spell of the Chinese language.
Wipeout (Aug. 4), by Aurora Real de Asua, directed by Maggie Burrows, featuring Emily Kuroda and Becky Ann Baker. It’s Gary’s 77th birthday and all she wants to do is surf. The only problem? She’s never stepped foot on a board before. But with the help of a hot-rod teenage surf instructor and the company of her two best friends, Gary is about to go on the ride of her life. As the three women navigate the currents of the Pacific, they must confront seven decades of secrets and sacrifices, not to mention the odd jellyfish or two.
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Roundabout Theatre has announced complete casting for York Walker’s Covenant, to run Oct. 5 – Dec. 3 (open Oct. 26) at the the Steinberg Center Theatre, directed by Tiffany Nichole Greene.
Crystal Dickinson (Mama), Chaundre Hall-Broomfield (Johnny ‘Honeycomb), James, Ashley Hildreth (Violet), Jade Payton (Avery), and Lark White (Ruthie).
The play follows a struggling guitarist, who returns to his small Georgia town after becoming a Blues star. Rumors swirl that he may have made a deal with the devil to attain his musical genius. However, it becomes clear he’s not the only one with a secret.